


Reunion Actualized

by NicktheHuman



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Aikoto Week 2020, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25345417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicktheHuman/pseuds/NicktheHuman
Summary: *Spoilers for Persona 5 Royal*In January of 2017, when reality is distorted to reflect the desires of the people, one young man wakes up on a rooftop. However, he should be dead.Some bittersweet, fluffy Aikoto for Aikoto Week 2020
Relationships: Aigis/Arisato Minato, Aigis/Persona 3 Protagonist, Aigis/Yuuki Makoto (Persona Series), Narukami Yu/Satonaka Chie
Comments: 9
Kudos: 83
Collections: Makoto/Minato & Aigis Week





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own these characters

"What... Am I doing here?"

Makoto Yuki said that to no one in particular as he awoke on a bench. He sat up and immediately shivered. "Cold for March..."

He looked around the Gekkoukan roof, and was shocked to see snow. He narrowed his eyes and thought back.

"I was up here with Aigis..." He muttered. "Then..."

_Oh right,_ he grimaced, remembering, _I died, and I've been the Great Seal._

It wasn't pleasant to remember; the semi-conscious state of holding back Nyx, his only visitors being Elizabeth as she tried to find a way to save him from his gate as the Seal as she defeated Erebus annually. 

But the memories were distant, and we're slipping from his mind as he tried to recall them, as if trying to write down a dream before its forgotten forever. 

"If I'm here, did she succeed?" He wondered aloud, before shivering again; his winter uniform was no protection against the cold. "Gotta get inside first..."

Luckily, the roof had been unlocked, and he walked into the empty halls of Gekkoukan. He frowned, looking up at the clock. It was early in the day, so it had to be a holiday or a Sunday if no one was here. 

A fear struck him; what if he had failed as the Seal? What if he was here because Nyx escaped and had killed humanity, and he was doomed to wander an empty Earth, alone?

He shook the thought away and picked up his pace as he ran towards the stairs towards the main entrance.

As he took the stairs down to the main hall two at a time, his eyes scanned over a bulletin board that had not been there when he had seen it last, and he skid to a halt, nearly falling on his face. 

A notice had been posted by the staff. It read, simply, “Have a great new year! See you in 2017!”

“Twenty... seventeen?” He muttered, dumbfounded. He took out his flip phone and opened it, and sighed when, of course, it was dead. “Duh.” 

The sense of panic and dread was beginning to creep up on him, but he pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, clenched his eyes shut, and forced the feeling back down. “Okay. Think this through. If it is 2017, can’t go to the dorms; everyone stopped living there years ago.” 

Out of habit, Makoto dug his hands into his pockets and felt something small and metallic. With a gasp, he pulled the Velvet Key out of his pocket. He stared at it for a few minutes, weighing his options; he hadn’t been able to access the Velvet Room after the fight with Nyx, but he also couldn’t find the key. If he had it now, then...

“Worth a shot,” he decided, taking off out of the doors of Gekkoukan and making towards the station.  
___________________________________

The trip to Paulowina Mall brought some small relief to Makoto; humanity hadn’t perished at all, and the crowded train and happy citizens assured him that Apathy Syndrome hadn’t returned... at least not yet. 

Further, the mall hadn’t changed in the slightest, and the familiarity of it brought some comfort to the boy. He paused only briefly at the bench he had spent so much time at with all of his friends; talking with Yukari and Mitsuru, or the times he and Kenji had argued about music there. But he needed answers, and went to the hallway under the karaoke studio. 

There it was.

The familiar blue door, not attached to any of the walls. He wasn’t sure if it was more shocking that it was still there, or if it would have been worse not to find it, but now that it was in front of him his throat ran dry.

Makoto hesitated, if only briefly. Igor wasn’t sure to provide answers; sometimes he only gave Makoto more questions. Still, this was the best chance he had. 

Opening the door, Makoto stepped inside to the Velvet Room.

It was not how he remembered it; the room was no longer an elevator, but appeared to be an office in the middle of a circle of prison cells. Igor’s desk sat under a simple light. Elizabeth was nowhere to be found, but instead, a small girl who looked like her stood next to the desk. And most perplexingly, Makoto saw another young man talking with them both, dressed in a black trenchcoat and a mask. 

As he walked in, Igor, the smaller attendant, and the flashy-dressed teen all stopped to stare at him. Even Igor, as omnipotent as he came across, seemed surprised. 

“My, my...” Igor muttered, his smile creeping back. “This is truly unexpected. Two guests in the Velvet Room.” 

“Uh...” was all Makoto managed to utter as his eyes shot between the other three in the room. “...hi?” 

“What’s going on?” The black haired teen asked. 

“Lavenza, see to the needs of Mr. Amamiya,” Igor advised. The smaller attendant, who Makoto guessed was Lavenza, nodded, and the two disappeared completely from Makoto’s view. 

Igor’s whole desk rotated around to face Makoto, and as the teen blinked, The Velvet Room slammed back to the familiar elevator it had been for him. 

“It pleases me to welcome you back to the Velvet Room,” Igor smiled. “Though it appears the circumstances aren’t what I had hoped.” 

Makoto took a trembling breath, and before he could help himself, all his doubts came pouring out of his mouth. “I shouldn’t be here, Igor. Is it 2017? Did I fail as the Seal? Did Elizabeth figure something out? I don’t...” 

His words caught in his throat, and his mind became too overwhelmed to decide what to say first. After a moment, he was able to choke out, “Are my friends okay?”

Igor gave a sympathetic smile. “Well, I am limited on what I can advise. But, I can tell you some things because you are not our current guess. Those are the rules. You are bound to a future you can not change. My other guest - the one you just saw - is currently on a path to rehabilitate the world.” 

“I can fight if the world needs it. I just need my Evoker,” Makoto assured, but Igor waived his hand.

“I’m sorry Makoto, but your contract is fulfilled,” Igor sighed. “And while I could have you undertake a new path... I fear your awakening is temporary.”

Makoto’s heart sunk. “What do you mean?”

Igor’s smile faltered. “Our current guest must stop the power of actualization... an ability that allows people’s desires to come true, though at the prices of over-writing reality.”

Makoto frowned, disheartened. “Overwrite what's real? Then... I’m not real?”

“You are real,” Igor corrected him, “You are real, and your death was undone, because your friends have never forgotten you, and I can tell you they have desired nothing more but to see you again. However, this distorted, false reality has overwritten the good they have done in your absence... and not just them, but all of the world if gone unchecked.”

Makoto paused, and looked up to where the other guest - Amamiya - had been. “But it will be undone?”

“It will,” Igor nodded. “My current guest is more than capable of stopping it, this actualization... however, I can not tip him off to that.” 

Makoto slumped down in the chair. “How... how long do I have?” 

Igor twitched his tented fingers. “... about one month until your situation changes. Then, you will be recalled to the Great Seal to protect humanity.” 

“If... If I see my friends, will they remember me?” Makoto asked, staring down at his feet.

“That, even I can not say. Even if you are not my current guest, I can not say anymore than this.” He grinned. "There are still many twists and turns in your story, Makoto Yuki. But you had to find them out for yourself. 

Something in his tone told Makoto the conversation was over. Indeed, he blinked again, and Makoto found himself back in the Paulowina Mall. The door to the Velvet Room was no longer there. 

“Now what...” Makoto muttered to himself. 

Unsure of what to do with himself, he wandered out of the mall, and realized another thing; _he was really hungry._ As his stomach rumbled, he pulled his hand into his pocket and was relieved that his wallet was just as he remembered it; filled with cash. “Well. At least I can still enjoy some ramen.”  
____________  
Hagakure Ramen had always been a local delicacy, but after years of being dead, it tasted even better than Makoto remembered it. 

He’d learned from the train that it was actually a few days into January of 2017. And as he filled his belly with his third bowl of ramen, he pondered something; should he try and find S.E.E.S.?

He debated with himself as he twirled his ramen around the bowl.

If he did see them... and they remembered the counter, would he break their hearts all over? Igor had told him that the only reason he was alive was because they desired to see him, for him to have survived. If he saw them, and then left again, forever, what would it do them?

If he didn’t... was it cruel? They desired to see him enough to pull him from death in this false world. Would denying that request be selfish?

That wasn't even accounting for the fact that he WANTED to see them. He missed them. He’d missed them for years, even in the semi-conscious state of being the Seal. 

But he especially missed...

Her. 

Aigis. 

In his wallet had been the charred screw she had given him so many years ago. He remembered that night; the night he had touched her heart (literally) and she touched his when they confessed their love for each other. It had fallen out when he checked the contents, and he couldn’t help but stare at it between bowls. 

She had promised to stay with him until he died. Moreso, she made him imprint his DNA onto her heart, the very core of her being, so that he could always be with her.

And he promised her, too, that he would be there with her until he died. 

“And I did die...” He muttered. “But... I should be with you until I die again, right?”

“No matter how much you talk to that broken screw, I don’t think it will be good for anything.” 

Makoto jumped and spun around, and saw a woman who looked to be in her early to mid twenties chuckle at him. Her short brown hair reached down to a green sweatshirt. Behind her, a taller boy with grey hair rubbed the back of his head. 

“Jeez Chie,” the gray-haired man said, “let the kid sulk. It looks like he’s having a rough time.” 

Without warning, the woman - Chie - sat down next to Makoto, her gray-haired friend sitting next to her. “Good point, Yu. So kid... what’s got you down?”

Makoto blinked, taken aback by the woman’s straightforward friendliness. “Ah... well...” He thought quickly, trying to explain the situation without going into too much detail. “I’m back in town, but only for a few weeks... and then I have to go away. Probably forever. And I wasn’t expecting to be in town. So I’m not sure if I should see my friends again while I’m here, especially if they’re going to be really sad when I leave again.”

Chie made a face like something smelled awful. “You got all THAT from a burnt screw?”

“It’s uh... a personal story with one of my friends,” Makoto replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well, either way, that’s kind of a stupid problem, isn’t it?” the gray haired one - which Chie had called Yu - laughed. “Of course you should see them.”

Chie nodded. “Yeah, totally. If your friends didn’t think they’d ever see you again forever, an extra few weeks is like... bonus friend time!” She jerked her thumb towards Yu. “Once upon a time, this guy moved away from my hometown and I thought I’d never see him again. But I tricked him into marrying me!”

“I wouldn’t say tricked,” Yu laughed. “But she’s right.”

Makoto smiled at the two of them. “Ha... yeah, you’re right. I guess I’m overthinking it.” He chugged down his bowl and threw his payment on the table. “What am I wasting time moping here for?”  
\-----------------------

It took a little bit of research at the library for figure out where his friends were - thankfully the Kirijo group was still as big as ever. Although, he did fall into a Google hole after learning Yukari was the Pink Featherman - that was crazy. 

Seeing them would be easy enough - they had a headquarters not far from Iwatodai. A short train ride was all he needed.

But before he saw everyone...

He stopped at the station and grabbed a bouquet of roses. He smiled at them; he wasn’t much of a romantic, but he figured Aigis would appreciate the gesture. Part of him hoped she was still easily flustered by affection. 

As the sun began to set, he saw the Kirijo building. He ignored the confused looks of the salarymen as he walked in. It probably wasn’t every day a teenager walked into the building with flowers. He walked up to the counter, to the confused receptionist. 

“Personal delivery and telegram for Ms. Aigis.” He said, calmly.

The receptionist furrowed her brow. “She’s not expecting a delivery.”

“It’s clearly supposed to be a surprise,” Makoto replied dully, holding the flowers. “Can I just go up to her office?” 

“Just... no one goes up to see her,” the receptionist said, snidely. “I guess. Be quick about it.” 

She handed him a visitor pass, and Makoto rushed into the elevator. As it climbed the floors, his heart raced. He hoped she would be happy to see him. 

What he wasn’t expecting to see was Junpei waiting at the elevator. Their eyes met, and Makoto froze. He hadn’t prepared anything to see if he ran into anyone. Was Junpei about to freak out? Ask why he wasn’t dead?

“Hey man, crazy weekend we had, right?” Junpei laughed, patting Makoto on the back as he stepped into the elevator. “But you’re supposed to come in in the morning, and LEAVE in the evening. Next time call off when you’re too hungover to work.”

Makoto stared, dumbfounded, as Junpei walked past him. _Does... does Junpei think I’ve been alive this whole time? The receptionist didn’t recognize me, but does Junpei think I work here?_

Makoto recalled the false, distorted reality Igor had described, and it hit him. 

“They want me to be alive... to have never died,” Makoto rationalized. “So to them... I’ve been alive this whole time. “

His nervousness was replaced by confusion, but he rushed to Aigis’ office. He raised his hand to knock, but he paused when we heard her talking to herself inside. The door was slightly ajar, so he pushed it open slightly. 

She looked as beautiful as the day he saw her on the beach. He golden hair looking out a window to the streets below. Her gentle face concealing such caring and compassion behind the blue lens’ of her eyes. The vinyl that acted as her skin running down her arms. He remembered her touch; so soft, so human, but different in all the right ways. His heart began to thump loudly in his chest; almost missing what she said to herself. 

“It doesn’t make sense.” Aigis pondered aloud. “My memory is absolute. I’ve recorded everything I’ve seen since joining S.E.E.S. Why do they claim he’s been alive? Why do they claim we’ve never used our Persona’s since Nyx? Am I losing my mind?” 

“I think I am too,” Makoto said, softly.

Aigis whirled around and gasped. Her jaw dropped, and Makoto could see her eyes narrow, zooming in on him. She fixated on him, just as she had done so many years ago. 

“Hello, Aigis.” He said gently, and stepped closer. He shut the office door behind him. 

As the door clicked, it seemed to usher Aigis back to reality. She rushed forward into Makoto’s arms, and the two stood, embraced for what must have been minutes. Makoto couldn’t help but clutch her hair and waist tightly, like if he eased his grip she’d slip.

“It’s really you, isn’t it?” Aigis whispered.

Makoto nodded into the side of her head. “It is.” 

Without warning, Aigis pushed away and locked her lips onto his. Makoto had kissed a few girls in his life, but this was far and away the most passion he had ever felt as their lips danced together. 

As she pulled away, she let out a small sob.

“Am I that bad of a kisser?” Makoto joked. 

Aigis let out an anguished laugh and lightly punched his shoulder before returning to an embrace. “No.. it’s just... you’re not... supposed to be here.” 

Makoto gave her a sad smile as he held her shoulders. “I know...” 

Aigis frowned. “My memory of that day... when you passed away in my arms. I knew it was real.” 

He nodded again. “Unfortunately, yes. I shouldn’t be here.” 

“The others,” Aigis continued, frustration in her tone. “They don’t... they don’t remember. They think you’ve always been here.”

Makoto sighed, and ushered her over to a couch in the side of her office. “I think... I should explain to you what’s going on.”

For the next half hour, Makoto explained what Igor had told him - and discovered Aigis herself had met Igor and Elizabeth in the process. 

“... so it sounds like if we stay out of it, in a few weeks, reality will go back to the way it should be.” Makoto finished. He looked into his lap, where Aigis’ hand laid in his. “I’ll go back to being the Great Seal.” 

“And the others will not remember you being here,” Aigis replied, sadly. “However, with my infallible memory, I believe I could never forget.” 

“I was hoping that was the case,” Makoto admitted. “I just... I couldn’t not see you Aigis. I missed you.”

“Makoto... I have never stopped missing you,” Aigis laughed, though her tone was still sad. “I had always known I would outlive you. But you are the first and only love I have ever head. I have lived my life to fullest, for your sake as well as mine. And no matter what happens, I will continue to do so.” She reached over and cupped his face. “Seeing you again, no matter how brief, is worth a million lifetimes.”

In spite of himself, Makoto felt a tear roll down his cheek. “I love you too, Aigis. I feel the same.” 

Aigis stood, beaming. “Then I am going to use all of my allotted vacation time, and make sure we cram as much lifetime into the next few weeks as possible.”

Makoto laughed and stood with her. “You don’t have to go that far, Aigis...” 

She shook her head. “I won’t hear of it, Makoto. I insist.” Her eyes widened. “You have missed so much in the music industry! Quickly, we must head back for my apartment - I need to show you the playlist of songs I made that I thought you would like.” 

As Aigis dragged him by the hand from her office, Makoto laughed. 

If he only was granted a few more weeks to live by some divine fluke... it would all be worth it as long as he was with her. They could face whatever came in the coming weeks together.


	2. Promise Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto and Aigis recall their fist date, and decide to make each other a promise. 
> 
> A two-for-one for Day 4 prompts

It was an adjustment, that was for certain. Although, half of Makoto's adjustment was even being alive again. But as part of this, "Actualization," his friends all had false, half memories of him over the last seven years. Playing along with the ruse wasn't too hard, but Makoto couldn't dwell on it without being sad. 

He and Aigis had spent the last two days having group dinners and meetings with the rest of their friends. It was bittersweet; Makoto wished he could be the man his friends remembered, especially as he sat across from Mitsuru, Akihiko, Junpei and Fuuka. Aigis seated to his left, Yukari and Ken to his right. It was nostalgic; they would sit this way when the group ate together. 

They were regaling the tale of Makoto's last birthday. 

"You couldn't even stand by the end of the night!" Junpei laughed.

_So they think I'm some sort of alcoholic?_ Makoto pondered through a snicker. "I'll take your word for it."

"I guess we shouldn't be surprised you have trouble recalling." Mitsuru smirked. But her expression twitched. "Then again, even my memories of it are somewhat hazy."

"You know, I was just thinking the same thing..." Fuuka sighed.

Aigis and Makoto exchanged glances. So far, there had been a few times over the last few days where it almost appeared that S.E.E.S. realized that their memories had been tampered with like this, but as soon as they were on the verge of a breakthrough, they'd lose their train of thought. 

"So you two are going on a vacation tomorrow, right?" Yukari asked. "I'm so jealous! Where are you going?"

Before Makoto answered, Aigis beamed. "It is a surprise for Leader!"

"Jeez, I could go for a trip," Ken groaned. "Entrance exams are killing me."

"Hang in there," Makoto assured him. "How's Koromaru?"

"Not as mobile as he used to be, but he's hanging in there." Ken grinned. "I'll bring him by the office when you get back."

Makoto felt a pang of guilt. _Will I still be around that long?_ "Awesome."

"I should take a vacation," Akihiko sighed. "Too much work piled up though."

"You know, we can cover for you," Mitsuru added, dryly. 

Makoto sighed happily as he watched his friends begin to bicker. He'd missed this ragtag family of his.   
\---  
"Rise and shine, Makoto-San!"

Makoto groaned as Aigis grabbed his arms and pulled him out of bed. Before he could respond, she planted a smooch on his lips, and a few extra ones on his face for good measure. "Aigiiissssss. Lemme sleeeeeep."

"I can not. We have a schedule to keep. You can, however, sleep on the train."

Makoto yawned and rubbed his eyes, looking at his robot girlfriend. "So it's somewhere we have to take a train to get to."

Aigis furrowed her brow. "No guessing, Makoto. You'll ruin the surprise."

She turned around and bent forward slightly, some toast springing from her shoulders. "You'll have to eat quickly. I hope I didn't burn the bread. But we must hurry."

"You have a toaster setting?" Makoto asked, dumbfounded, as he grabbed the food. "What other settings do you have now?"

To his surprise, Aigis turned to face him with a smile, and cupped his face gently. She came in close to his ear and whispered, "that's part of another surprise for later."

Makoto gulped, but complied with Aigis' requests to hurry.   
\-----  
As Makoto and Aigis sat down on a train, Makoto tried to pretend the ticket he was handed didn't say, "Shibuya." He didn't want to ruin her fun. 

As the train left the station, he looked at Aigis as she thumbed through a book. 

He couldn't help but admire her. It was funny, in a way. He wasn't any older than the day he died, and she looked just as she had back then too. He wondered if he appeared different to his friends, if he looked more grown. 

"Hey Aigis... This reminds me of our first date, remember?"

She turned and smiled to him. "How could I forget?"  
\-----------  
January, 2010.  
\----------  
"Leader, where are we going?" Aigis asked, looking at the train ticket. 

"Somewhere," Makoto replied, nonchalantly. 

"But you said we were going on a, 'date,' so we could become, 'closer.'"

"That's what you want, right?" Makoto asked, teasingly. 

"Yes, of course!" Aigis assured. "But is now the proper time? We must prepare for the 31st..."

"True," he relented. "But we can't really prepare before outside of the Dark Hour. And resting in our downtime is important too, tight?"

"I... Suppose so." Aigis admitted. "I just don't understand why you can't tell me where we're going on this date."

"It's a surprise." Makoto explained. "Surprises are romantic. So are dates. So surprise dates are even more romantic." He paused. "I think."

On the train ride, Aigis inquired further on what differentiated a romantic surprise and a sneak attack. It was a surprisingly complex answer, to Makoto's frustration. But when they arrived, he wrapped a blindfold around her eyes.

"This is irrelevant," Aigis interjected. "I have other external lenses that allow me to recreate the environment."

Makoto sighed, though he couldn't help but laugh. "I humbly request you don't use them."

"Well... Only because I trust you, Leader."

Makoto lead Aigis through a few crowded streets, not at all bothered by the strange looks they received. 

When they arrived, he eagerly yanked the cloth from Aigis' eyes. "Here we are!"

Aigis looked around the unfamiliar street, and scanned the building in front of her. "An... Aquarium?"

Her deadpan response was flattening. Still, Makoto tried to keep his energy level up for her - a task he didn't do often. "Yup! An Aquarium!

Aigis tilted her head. "Yes, I see. You chose this location due to the aquatic nature of some of the Shadows we've seen lately."

Makoto blinked. "What? No."

"While I understand the strategy, I do not feel real fish will educate us on Shadows."

"Wait-" Makoto began.

"Perhaps you mean to study their movement for dodging then?" Aigis asked.

Makoto chuckled and shook his head. "Aigis. No. This isn't about Shadows. I just wanted to look at the fish and talk with you."

"Oh." Aigis seemed surprised. "Is that what people do on dates?"

Makoto grabbed her hand and began leading her inside. They passed a tank with a multitude of cascading, brightly colored tropical fish. "Sometimes."

As the colors of the fish danced before her, Aigis' eyes widened. Against her porcelain skin, light reflections of the fish danced across her features, making her mechanical eyes an even brighter sheen of blue. "Well, I can certainly see some beauty in this." She was enthralling. 

Makoto nodded and smiled. "I've always loved coming here."

"Always?" Aigis echoed. "Do you come here a lot after school?"

"Actually. No." Makoto looked down. "I used to come here with my parents before the accident."

"Oh..." Aigis looked down, and began walking towards a tank of sharks. "I'm surprised you would want to bring me... I feel as though it's partially my fault you lost them."

"No, not at all." Makoto said, following her and placing a hand on her shoulders. "That was Ikutski."

The two watched the predators swim in silence for awhile, and began walking the hall towards another exhibit. 

"Do you miss them?" Aigis asked, her fingers brushing against Makoto's.

"Sometimes," Makoto replied, trying not to gulp nervously. "I don't remember them much. But I remember my mom and dad taking me here after I got high marks on a test. And I always wanted to come back."

Aigis giggled. "You must have been fascinated with the aquatic as a child. What made you want to bring me here?"

Makoto shrugged as they passed an octopus. "Well... This place means a lot to me. And you mean a lot to me."

Aigis blushed. "Makoto..."

"You've always been there for me." Makoto said. "Always been there to pick me up when I fall."

To his surprise, she turned away, shaking. "Stop... Please. I am not deserving of your praise, or your affection."

He furrowed his brow at the back of her head. "Why?"

"So much of your pain is my fault, Makoto-San. If not for me, you'd never have had the Death shadow placed in you. If I had been stronger, you'd still have your parents. I am not human, and I am not worthy of you."

Seeing her, a beacon of strength in their fight against the Dark Hour, so upset broke Makoto's heart. He stepped forward and grabbed her shoulder. "Aigis... It's not your fault. You know I don't blame you. And if I felt that way, I wouldn't have asked you out."

"I couldn't protect you. And at times, I still feel I can't." She lamented. 

Makoto paused, unsure of what to do. Then, however he spun her to face him, and smiled. "Then promise me something, okay?"

"Leader?"

"Promise me," Makoto thought about his words for a second, and continued, "promise me that from now on, we protect each other. That way it's even. And you have to promise me that if something happens to me, you won't blame yourself."

Aigis bit her lip. "I do not know if I can promise you that, Leader."

"You have to," Makoto said in mock-seriousness. "If not, it will ruin the date. You don't want that, right?

Recognizing his humor, she allowed herself to smile. "You are correct. Then I promise. We will protect each other. And will not blame ourselves if we are injured."

Makoto held out a pinky. "Now put your pinky here."

She did, and gasped as Makoto intertwined the two and kissed her finger. "Now we have to keep it."

\---  
January 7th, 2017.  
\---  
"I recall that day often," Aigis admitted, looking at him. "It is one of my most joyous memories. Though if I admit it... I could not keep our promise."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

Aigis looked to her book. "When you died... I did blame myself. I blamed myself for not being strong enough to save you."

The two were quiet for a while, and Makoto pondered how to make her feel better as he listened to the rails beneath them. Then, he grabbed her hand. "Then make me a different promise?"

Aigis giggled. "And what would that be?"

"When I go away again, promise me instead of blaming yourself or wondering what if, we'll remember we got another chance." Makoto proposed.

To his surprise. Aigis shifted her hand in his to interlock their pinkies. She leaned in and kissed his finger, and beamed at him. "That is a promise I can definitely keep."

The train screeched to a halt.

"Arriving at: Shibuya!" The train intercom sang out.

"We're here!" Aigis cheered, yanking Makoto from his seat. "Come, I have so much planned." 

Makoto laughed. "Alright, alright. I guess this would be our second, 'first date.'"

**Author's Note:**

> I may continue this for the other days of Aikoto Week, I'm not sure


End file.
